Users of computers frequently maintain usernames, passwords, account numbers and other information for their relationships with banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and other providers of services and goods. Remembering and maintaining records of these varied items of information can be onerous and time consuming and may expose users to risks of information loss, fraud, and identity theft.
Other confidential information such as social security numbers, passport information, travel information, dates of birth, and personal identification numbers not related to customer accounts is also valuable and subject to loss and identity theft. When in public settings, users may be uncomfortable with exposing these items of confidential information. A user risks exposure of credential information merely by typing it in when “spectators” might perceive and obtain such information. Various users may be hesitant to enter their passwords in public due to the fact that others might have the opportunity to learn such a password by watching the user type it onto a keyboard.
While various devices have been proposed to manage passwords, users may not like the way in which they must be identified by such devices. Some users may prefer the convenience of using biometric data to identify themselves. Others may have concerns about providing such data and prefer to use non-biometric data. None of the prior art devices offer the unique ability to identify users utilizing both biometric data and non-biometric data alternatively, or provide a highly convenient way to conceal and store login information. Thus, there continues to be a need for a more efficient and effective method for providing a user with login assistance.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system and method for managing credentials. Further, it would be desirable to have a system and method for detecting when an associated computer is requesting credentials, verifying that a user of an input device is an authorized user, and transmitting associated credentials to the associated computer. In addition, it would be desirable to have a system and method that displays a “mask” over the a credential request prompt such that the credentials cannot be visually seen by persons proximate the computer display even when being verified, entered, and transmitted automatically by the system and method of the present invention.